“Fast for Courage in Copenhagen”

On the first day of the U.N. Climate Conference , Vernon residents join the “Fast for Courage in Copenhagen” Vernon residents Bill Darnell, Mary Stockdale and Dianne Perrier will be holding daily vigils and fasting for the first week of the Copenhagen Summit on climate change. We are doing this to offer our support to political leaders in Canada and the rest of the world. At this critical time for humanity, we urge them to act courageously, to ensure a stable climate for our future generations. Our efforts in Vernon are one example of many vigils and fasts across Canada, initiated by Bill Phipps, the former moderator of the United Church of Canada (see below).

Here are our planned activities for the week of the Copenhagen Summit:

- Beginning Monday December 7 and continuing until Friday December 11, we will be keeping a daily vigil from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm outside the constituency office of our Member of Parliament Colin Mayes, at 3203 30th Street, Vernon. We will have a ‘Book of Courage’ there for supporters to sign, and lit candles, representing others in the Okanagan-Shuswap area who are with us in spirit.

- On Saturday December 12, at 5:30 pm, we will join with millions around the world in a vigil organized by Avaaz at the Vernon library square. Details at http://www.avaaz.org/en/

- Finally, on Sunday, December 13, churches worldwide will ring their bells 350 times, to call on our leaders to limit carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to a climate-sustaining 350 parts per million. This initiative in Canada is being organized by Kairos, details at (http://www.kairoscanada.org/en/ecojustice/climate-change/copenhagen-2009/ring-350-for-copenhagen/). A number of local churches are joining in.

We welcome all forms of support for this worldwide effort. We will be fasting for the duration of the week, and holding daily vigils, and everyone is welcome to join us for a visit and to write a message in our Book of Courage, a copy of which will be sent to our MP, Colin Mayes. Please bring a candle to light as a symbol of your concern. If you can’t come in person, send us a message of support and we will light a candle in your name. We would also greatly appreciate other forms of support from you, such as letters to the media, our MP and other key national politicians.

For further information or comment, you can contact us at: vernonclimateaction@gmail.com
For a peaceful and sustainable planet,

Bill Darnell
Mary Stockdale
Dianne Perrier